Congressman Jack Kingston (R-Ga) takes umbrage on his weblog to Mexico’s harsh criticism of his home state’s recent legislation against illegal immigration. In particular he seems most irate about this statement from Ruben Aguilar, spokesman for Mexican Presidente Vicente Fox:

The referred legislation incurs discriminatory acts against the Mexican population and those of Mexican origin. It is a partial measure that fails to resolve the complex phenomenon of immigration between Mexico and the United States in an integral manner.

Kingston relies upon this recently-published paper from the Center for Security Policy to contrast and compare Mexico’s constitution on illegal immigration with Georgia’s new law, asking his readers afterwards:

So you be the judge: Is the government of Mexico throwing stones while living in a glass house?

Ah, a challenge. I read the claims in the CSP paper and decided to compare what I found therein with what Google could provide of Mexico’s Constitution of 1917 (as amended thereafter) in both the original Spanish and an English translation. What I found convinces me more than ever that the charges of hypocrisy are dead on. I’ll leave it to the reader to consider the following 3 examples:

ARTICULO 11 - Todo hombre tienen derecho para entrar en la República, salir de ella, viajar por su territorio y mudar de residencia, sin necesidad de carta de seguridad, pasaporte, salvoconducto u otros requisitos semejantes. El ejercicio de este derecho estará subordinado a las facultades de la autoridad judicial, en los casos de responsabilidad criminal o civil, y a las de la autoridad administrativa, por lo que toca a las limitaciones que impongan las leyes sobre emigración, inmigración y salubridad general de la República, o sobre extranjeros perniciosos residentes en el país. 

Article 11. Everyone has the right to enter and leave the Republic, to travel through its territory and to change his residence without necessity of a letter of security, passport, safe-conduct or any other similar requirement. The exercise of this right shall be subordinated to the powers of the judiciary, in cases of civil or criminal liability, and to those of the administrative authorities insofar as concerns the limitations imposed by the laws regarding emigration, immigration and public health of the country, or in regard to undesirable aliens resident in the country.

ARTICULO 32 - Los mexicanos serán preferidos a los extranjeros, en igualdad de circunstancias, para toda clase de concesiones y para todos los empleos, cargos o comisiones del gobierno en que no sea indispensable la calidad de ciudadano. En tiempo de paz ningún extranjero podrá servir en el Ejército ni en las fuerzas de policía o seguridad pública. 

Para pertenecer a la Marina Nacional de Guerra o a la Fuerza Aérea y desempeñar cualquier cargo o comisión en ellas, se requiere ser mexicano por nacimiento. Esta misma calidad será indispensable en capitanes, pilotos, patrones, maquinistas, mecánicos y, de una manera general, para todo el personal que tripule cualquier embarcación o aeronave que se ampare con la bandera o insignia mercante mexicana. Será también necesaria la calidad de mexicano por nacimiento para desempeñar los cargos de capitán de puerto y todos los servicios de practicaje y comandante de aeródromo, así como todas las funciones de agente aduanal en la República. 

Article 32. Mexicans shall have priority over foreigners under equality of circumstances for all classes of concessions and for all employment, positions, or commissions of the Government in which the status of citizenship is not indispensable. In time of peace no foreigner can serve in the Army nor in the police or public security forces.

In order to protected by the Mexican merchant flag or insignia It is also necessary to be Mexican by birth to discharge the position of captain of the port and all services of pratique and airport commandant, as well as all functions of customs agent in the Republic.
 

ARTICULO 33 - Son extranjeros los que no posean las calidades determinadas en el artículo 30. Tienen derecho a las garantías que otorga el capítulo I, título primero, de la presente constitución; pero el Ejecutivo de la Unión tendrá la facultad exclusiva de hacer abandonar el territorio nacional, inmediatamente y sin necesidad de juicio previo, a todo extranjero cuya permanencia juzgue inconveniente. 
 

Los extranjeros no podrán, de ninguna manera, inmiscuirse en los asuntos políticos del país.

Article 33. Foreigners are those who do not possess the qualifications set forth in Article 30. They are entitled to the guarantees granted by Chapter I, Title I, of the present Constitution; but the Federal Executive shall have the exclusive power to compel any foreigner whose remaining he may deem inexpedient to abandon the national territory immediately and without the necessity of previous legal action.

 Foreigners may not in any way participate in the political affairs of the country.

It is a huge mistake for Mexico and leaders of the recent boycott to assume that supporters of a guest-worker program are not patriotic Americans willing to defend their country from all threats “foreign and domestic”.  Keep pushing and you’ll eventually find allies for even this modest solution disappearing fast.  It never sits well with Americans when you demand something from us that you are unwilling to give yourself.